


Malgenesis

by Moxonomy



Category: Fate/Grand Order
Genre: Gen, Major Original Character(s), Original Character(s), Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-29
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:34:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22011136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moxonomy/pseuds/Moxonomy
Summary: An original story that takes place sometime between the ending of FGO pt.1 (Observer of Timeless Temple) and the prologue to FGO pt.2 (Cosmos of Lostbelts).With a sudden divergence of the main timeline, Chaldea is assaulted and wiped out by an unknown force. Ritsuka Fujimaru, under the unlikeliest of circumstances, is offered a second chance to save the rest of Chaldea. The distant star is watching...(summaries subject to updates whenever I figure out where I'm actually taking this idea to)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 10





	1. The end-

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> \--data log corrupted--
> 
> \--beginning data retrieval. please wait--
> 
> \--partial data retrieval success--
> 
> \--chaldea is dead--
> 
> \--begin maintenance protocols?--

Chaldea’s alarm was blaring.

The halls were tinted red as personnel rushed through them to their stations.

“Master! Master! Wake up!”

Ritsuka was roused from their deep slumber by their distressed kouhai, Mash.

“It’s an emergency!”

He snapped to his senses when he was finally awake and prepared himself for the worst. Quickly changing into his gear, he and Mash made their way to the control room.

“What’s happening?!”

“We’re not sure. Something unusual came up on one of Da Vinci’s background scans. But then… it reacted.”

Whatever it was, Da Vinci had apparently deemed it as a top-priority threat that was now on a direct course with Chaldea.

Before they could reach the control room, however-

**CRAAAASH!**

“Get down!”

Mash grabbed Ritsuka and threw herself to the ground with him in tow as the corridor up ahead suddenly collapsed in on itself.

Chaldea staff that had just come short of it stopped in their tracks as they fanned dust from their faces.

The standard lights of the hallways had gone out, dying the corridor a deep red as black trickles seemed to seep out from the rubble.

The fluid travelled across the floor unnaturally, splitting and spreading out like strange tree branches.

“What is that?”

A bewildered staff member backed himself away from the crawling ooze, but another was too shaken by the collapsed ceiling to move.

The fluid latched onto her foot before it quickly shot up her body and spread over her in a griddled mesh.

“I-it’s cold… I-I can’t move!”

Screams suddenly escaped her lungs as the fluid dug deep into her flesh, before completely encasing her in its sheenless dark hue.

Mash and Ritsuka stood themselves up as they witnessed this happen before them. The other Chaldea personnel had already started to back away some more.

“It’s not safe, Fujimaru-san! We need to ru-”

The liquid shot out with predatory precision, as it latched onto the next staff member and enveloped them.

“GYAAAAH! RUUUN!”

“Senpai! This way!”

Tugging Ritsuka in the other direction, Mash followed the lead of remaining staff as they started to succumb to the oncoming fluid, one by one.

Some of those that had been afflicted then started to shift… a sound painfully similar to that of bones cracking and splintering was heard as the once-human shapes contorted about.

They then started moving. Vaguely resembling the humanoids they once were, the jet-black creatures started to give chase with erratic movements.

“Those things… they move like the Lahmu. What are they?!”

One by one, the staff were falling to those things. Stabbed through their torsos, yet no blood was shed. Instead, the obsidian hue infectiously took over their forms, birthing more of the creatures.

Soon enough, only Mash and Ritsuka were left. They sprinted for their lives, for Mash was currently powerless without her powers as Shielder. The best she could do protect her beloved senpai was to-

“Keep running! We’ve almost reached the cafeteria. I know the manual override for the doors, so we can blockade in there.”

“Those others were taken down so quickly… I hope Da Vinci is alright.”

“... I hope so too.”

Even though both of them believed “Oh, it’s Da Vinci, she would be fine”, the warning she issued out…

> “Chaldea is on full alert! This is not a drill, not that a genius like me would ever need to have drills of this kind! A top-priority threat has been detected on our background scanners.”
> 
> “Moment of impact is imminent. I repeat, Chaldea, this is not a drill. We require all hands available immediately-”

Da Vinci’s words echoed in Ritsuka’s mind as they made it into the cafeteria. A group of other staff had made it here too, it seems.

“You two! In here, now! Mannsbridge, ready the override!”

A female engineer signalled in as Mash and Ritsuka bolted through the doorway. The man at the door’s terminal swiftly performed the override as the doors hissed shut.

Loud bangs crashed against the door, causing them to back away in caution.

Mash turned to the engineer as she glanced about the room… there were six others in total, all engineers of Chaldea.

“Has… anyone else made it?”

“We’re the only ones that got here in time. I’m sorry, Miss Kyrielight. We couldn’t take chances and sealed the rest of the doors. The only reason we didn’t seal that one already was sheer luck… no way we were going to leave you guys out like that when we could see you running with all your might.”

“... I understand. It’s not your fault.”

“Trust me… I’d be saving anyone I could if those things weren’t knocking so harshly right now.”

Her name was Gosheim, one of the seniors of Chaldea’s engineering division. She and her team were common sights in the power plant sections of the complex.

“Though, we take on repair jobs to pass the time between maintenance checks and calibrations. We were fortunate that the espresso machine broke down here…”

“I can only hope for the best, for everyone else… perhaps Da Vinci will have a plan. Is there any way to reach the control room?”

“Communications aren’t working at the moment. The base is currently working off of auxiliary reserves, meaning that the main power has been cut.”

Whatever had stricken Chaldea, it had struck hard and fast. In mere moments, the organization that had saved the Human Order from incineration had been cornered and beaten.

“Our only hope right now is to issue out an emergency distress signal from an improvised device, which my team is currently working on with what we have at our disposal.”

“Is there anything we can help with? Anything at all… we need to do something.”

Ritsuka stepped forward. He wanted to do something, as Chaldea’s remaining master.

“For now… blockade the doors. While I have faith in the defensive properties of Chaldea’s door systems, in this case-... I think it’d just help reinforce our hopes. Maybe.”

Mash and Ritsuka nodded to each other as the two started to shift around furniture in the cafeteria, pushing and piling stuff to reinforce the doors in ramshackle fashion.

“Senpai… things don’t look good.”

“Don’t worry, Mash. We’ve figured situations like this out before. We can surely do it again… surely.”

But his words were shaky. Mash could only nod in response as they shifted a table together. Ritsuka wanted to believe that they would come out of this alright…

Yet the shadows of doubt gripped his resolve. This was not like those other cases. In this case, they had plunged the blade directly into the heart. Chaldea was slowly bleeding.

“Success! We have a transmission module set up!”

One of the engineers announced the result of their work, right as Mash and Ritsuka ran out of things to pile up at the doors.

They and the engineers crowded around the modified cafeteria terminal that was to function as their lifeline.

“Who do we reach out to? I think the closest place would be the administrations in the Oceanic region.”

“No no, we need to contact the Clock Tower! Only they have the means to bail us out here.”

“But will they do that? They see us as villains after all!”

Bickering ensued amidst the engineers, but Gosheim clapped her hands to silence them for a moment.

“This is the worst time to argue about this. We’re sending out a distress signal, without any target. Beggars can’t be choosers. Rather… we have to hope that anyone at all sees this.”

The remoteness of their region and their reputation meant that the odds of this plan even succeeding were low. Upon realizing this, the morale of those in the room plummeted.

“... We’re doomed.”

“But we have to try, right? Send out the signal. Direct all power reserves here towards it, expand the reach as much as we can.”

Without further complaints, the engineer at the terminal activated the beacon. Their distress was now being communicated to the world and beyond…

“Now we wait for one of two things… an answer, or our end.”

Seconds of trepidation went by, as alarms continued to blare amidst otherworldly growls and roars from outside the room.

Those seconds felt like tremendous spans of time that tested their will to continue hoping. No one uttered a word, perhaps saving their breath for that moment that they yearned for in this desperate time…

_Beep._

“... no way. No way! Someone has responded!”

After only a minute, their makeshift relay had succeeded. There were small cheers from the team but Gosheim remained cautious.

“Do we have data on who it is?”

“... Wait a minute. There isn’t anything here. Or rather, the terminal can’t display it.”

“... What?”

Gosheim moved over to investigate herself, with Mash peeking over her shoulder. What they saw…

“These symbols… mean nothing to me. Yes, indeed, someone has picked us up. But they’re trying to transmit to us with some strange codec.”

Ritsuka looked for himself, but the strange symbols and lines of code on the screen meant little to him.

“Uh… are we able to receive it then?”

“I have no idea. I run calibrations on generators, I’m no comms tech-”

**CRAAAAASH!**

The lot of them ducked behind the cafeteria counter as one of the blockaded doorways suddenly exploded, flames spreading into the room.

Ritsuka peered over the counter’s top and saw something dreadful…

A human figure, clad in black like the creatures. However, they were not deformed. In fact, it looked more like a man in a suit, with illuminated lines spread across the blackness.

A face-concealing mask of advanced technology concealed their features, only a long ponytail of hair extending from the back of their head indicating that they may be some manner of human being.

“ _Found you, Master of Chaldea._ ”

The mask clearly distorted his voice as he walked into the room, passing through flames as if they were nothing.

There was a killing intent in the air. It was thick, enough to crush the spirit of the weak. It wasn’t like that of anyone Ritsuka had encountered before.

**He felt his very soul being crushed by that intent.**

The creatures dashed and leapt throughout the room, a hoard of them emerging from behind the masked man.

They immediately crashed behind the counter, causing some of the engineers to attempt fleeing.

Two of them tried to jump over the counter, but they were hunted as soon as they touched down on the other side.

Their spirit and mind broken, the man at the terminal screamed and ran straight at one of the creatures with a screwdriver in hand. His screams were cut painfully short.

“Senpai… I’ll protect you until the end, no matter what. That is what I pledge my life to…”

Yet Mash did not possess that power anymore. All she could do was use every fiber of her body, mind and spirit as is to defend her master till the bitter end.

As a creature prepared to swipe at Mash, it recoiled back as a Gandr bolt punched into its torso.

Gosheim retracted her finger as she stood up.

“I was always average at Magecraft, so I took up engineering instead… average magi can never make it in that ruthless world, but they can be extraordinary in the real world. But that doesn’t matter in a situation like this. I will use everything at my disposal to preserve the remaining Master of Chaldea, even if I hate it.”

She pointed towards the doorway that led to the cafeteria storage room.

“Mannsbridge! Release the override on that door, take them to the freezer. That’s the last bunker we can fall back on. I’ll make sure you can make it there.”

“... Understood, I’ll see them there. I never took you one for heroics, ma’am.”

“I’m not. I’m just doing my job.”

There was a creature barring their path, but it shifted the moment Gosheim fired a Gandr bolt at it. As another creature tried to flank her, she whipped out a handgun and shot it in the shoulder, giving it pause.

“Go, Master of Chaldea! Fujimaru!”

“Y-yes! Thank you, Gosheim!”

Ritsuka, Mash and Mannsbridge bolted towards the freezer. The creature in their way was barraged with gunfire and Gandr bolts, stunning it enough that they managed to pass it.

Proven to be skilled in the timing of overriding door mechanisms, Mannsbridge opened the freezer in no more than a count of three.

Ritsuka piled in first, Mash following closely after before she turned to Mannsbridge. He shook his head, however.

“... Ever since the Freezer Lock-in Incident, we removed the capability to lock the freezer from inside. Someone’s gotta secure you guys, right? This is my job too.”

With those as parting words, Mannsbridge sealed the door again. All that was heard beyond the door was the sound of a sharp object banging against the door.

“... It’s just us now, senpai.”

“Yeah. We…”

_What do we do now?_

It was the only thought on Ritsuka’s mind…

* * *

“... I’m just a senior engineer. To think my end would be something like this.”

The middle-aged woman smiled to herself as she shot with her gun again… except it clicked uselessly. Her magazine had run dry.

“I suppose that’s what I signed up for in the first place, though.”

She lowered her gun. Her neglected Magic Circuits were burning too.

Thus, she was relieved of all burdens as her head was separated from her shoulders by a gleaming streak of scarlet.

“... Hmph. The prey has hid away into a hole. _Excellent_.”

The masked man spared no second thought to the minor nuisance he just dispatched, as Gosheim’s body fell to its knees.

He brandished a bright red blade, something between a sword and a shiv. A tool for killing, forged in a substance resembling crystallized blood.

“It was only a matter of time. By my blade, you shall fall.”

He pressed onwards. There was no urgency in his steps, hence his inaction to this point. His kill was assured, so he was free to take as much time as he pleased.

Killing was the remaining pleasure he was permitted. This meant _everything_ to him.

* * *

Huddled at the rearmost wall of the freezer, Mash stood guard in front of her dear senpai. She had said her piece about this. She was determined to do all that she could.

So what was it that Ritsuka himself could do here? He wanted to protect Mash as well, after all. However, he was the Master of Chaldea.

By this point, it felt like he was the remaining lifeblood of Chaldea itself. Everyone that remained doing what they can to become his shield.

“There must be something…”

As Edmond Dantes, the Count of Monte Cristo would say… _wait and hope_. That was all he could do right now. Yet, with each passing moment, despair became increasingly powerful.

It had fallen silent outside the doors. Mash was on guard, expecting the worst. If she could buy enough time, even if just a fraction of a second…

To buy time for a _miracle_. That was all that they had to cling onto now.

In the next moment, the door was sliced open like butter before a hot knife. The remnants were kicked in, as the masked man walked towards them.

The blade he brandished glimmered menacingly with its red hue, more notable now that it was in the cool blue light of the freezer.

It was a glimmer that… Ritsuka recognized, yet he could not fathom what it truly was. All that he knew was that it was dangerous.

_Please move, Mash. Please save yourself, Mash._

His mind flooded with such thoughts as his lips creased. Yet, Mash did not back down. She stood stalwart before the masked man.

“I’ll not allow you to lay a finger on-”

_Schlink_

Mash’s eyes went wide. From behind, Ritsuka could see the crimson blade… along with a patch of red that rapidly expanded across Mash’s back.

“... _pai_ …”

Like a lifeless doll, her body collapsed. The last shield had fallen… the most precious shield had fallen. Tears clouded Ritsuka’s vision.

**“ _MAAAAASH!_ ”**

He stood up to claim her fallen form, but he was not even permitted that as the masked man threw him hard against the freezer wall.

Ribs cracked as Ritsuka coughed up blood, but he didn’t fall to the ground. Instead, there was a burning in his gut…

“... _Ah_ -”

He had been impaled against the wall, the blade through his torso. The masked man twisted the blade, causing Ritsuka to grunt in agony. The burning intensified so much that it made him dizzy.

“How dull. There was no resistance here in Chaldea. Not even the so-called genius inventor could fight back. They expected so much more.”

The emotionless visor of that man bore itself into Ritsuka’s mind as he felt that he locked eyes with his assailant.

“It’s over, Chaldea.”

A dark hand grasped onto Ritsuka’s face, pulling his head forward before-

 _ **SMASH**_ -

…

…

* * *

\--end of recollection sequence--

\--events within designated time frame have been successfully logged--

\--memory stagnation nullified--

\--spiritual mainframe preservation succeeded--

\--subject vital signatures confirmed to be within designated margins--

…

\--beginning somatic paradigm transference in--

3

2

1

* * *


	2. Cadens Weft

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The second chapter... this was a difficult one. For this idea, the introduction to what is essentially "the story" was always gonna be hard for me. It ended up as a lot of exposition and dialogue with an (as of now) uninteresting character. This is a classic example of "If this were a VN, it'd be much better". Alas, it is what it is.
> 
> The stage has been set. I hope you enjoy the journey... happy 2020.

His hand gripped into something soft.

_It all ended._

_The pain was immeasurable._

It gripped harder.

_Not the broken ribs..._

_Neither the disembowelment._

For some reason, it was comforting.

_The pain of losing everyone precious to you-_

Ritsuka's eyes flickered open, a cold sweat dripping from his brow.

"You are now awake."

He gazed up from the pillow. His hand was being held by... someone else's. A soft and fair hand, that held itself firm despite how tightly he gripped it.

Swiftly, he released the hand.

Sat beside the bed was...

"... _Director?"_

The side-braided white hair. The scrutinizing golden eyes. The fair complexion befitting of a noble daughter.

It could only be Olga-Mary Animusphere, the original director of the Chaldea Security Organization.

And yet...

"... That's not it, is it?"

Even he could tell. Or rather, it was because he was Ritsuka Fujimaru that he could tell.

The lady that looked like Olga-Mary gazed at him with an emotionless curiosity, like a doll that had just attained sentience. That look alone was enough for him to determine the truth.

"Observation correct. I've deemed it appropriate to take on this guise in order to provide a comforting sight to you, Master of Chaldea."

A mechanical way of speaking that didn't suit her appearance. If anything, this had the _opposite_ of the intended effect. Especially considering the ultimate fate of the original person in question...

With a short sigh, Ritsuka raised himself from the bed. The room they were in was featureless and white, not unlike some rooms of the original Chaldea, except the functionality of this place could not be determined.

"... Who are you?"

"This is a doll terminal, created for the sake of interaction with the Master of Chaldea."

"I mean, who are _you?_ Not this... uh, doll specifically."

"..."

His response was the blankest of stares, as if he just said something that made no sense.

"... This requires a facility demonstration. Very well. Please follow me."

The Olga-Mary lookalike stood up. Unlike the usual director, she wore little more than a featureless grey plug-suit. As she wandered towards the doorway, however, Ritsuka called out.

"Hold on!"

She stopped but did not turn.

This was all too strange for Ritsuka. He didn't care about whatever demonstration this thing had for him. All he cared about was-

"What happened to everyone? Where's Mash?"

"... I can answer these things. Please follow me."

There didn't seem to be any other course of action to take. He wasn't in a position to disobey that order, though...

He erred on the side of caution, regardless.

"Are you an enemy?"

"... That is for your evaluation, Master of Chaldea."

Whoever she was, the fact that Ritsuka himself wasn't dead probably meant that she wasn't an immediate threat. It would already be over, otherwise.

_Just like he was led to believe._

A shiver ran down his spine as he followed along in silence.

...

If there was one way to describe the place he had ended up in...

_Empty._

Plain white halls that were an imitation of those in Chaldea. Perfect replicas, in fact. Yet they were so perfect that they were definitely alien to Ritsuka. None of Chaldea's imperfections were present in the architecture.

Their destination was a rounded room, featureless like the rest of the complex save for a table-like construct in its center.

The girl tapped onto the surface of the table, causing it to open up in a strange way. It started to display holographic projections that meant little to Ritsuka.

"This is who I am."

It almost looked like some sort of star map, but without any supporting knowledge, Ritsuka was unable to properly identify what or where it was.

"I don't understand. Is the display... showing where you are from?"

"That is correct to an extent."

"So... we're not on Earth?"

"Negative. We are approximately 236,991,298,338-"

"Far away... no, that's not important right now. What happened to everyone else? Are they here with me?"

The girl turned to the display and started to interact with it as if it were a physical entity. The projections shifted and responded to the movements of her fingers. She pulled up a projection that was notably familiar to Ritsuka...

"... That's Earth?"

"Correct. The rest of Chaldea's functioning personnel remain on celestial designation "Earth"."

It didn't answer anything that Ritsuka wanted, it only opened up further questions. He signed in exasperation.

_I just want to know. Please, just tell me._

Yet he bit his lip rather than speak his mind. If he erupted with emotion right now, he could jeopardize any chances of saving everyone else.

"... Then-"

"I shall give a full report of the current circumstance, then."

He stared at her in slight shock, thinking that his mind had just been read. Or were his feelings that clearly written on his face? Nonetheless, he settled down a bit to listen to the Olga-Mary clone.

"A celestial hazard has encroached upon the boundaries of Earth in an anomalous set of events. Its target was the Chaldea Security Organization, the protectors of the Human Order..."

...

_A threat that Chaldea had no chance to defend against. One that launched an assault with lethal precision and effectiveness. The mortality rate of Chaldea was 100%._

_Or at least, that's what the numbers were showing._

_However..._

"... therefore, the natural flow of chronometric systems in the isolated sector, designation "Earth", have been suspended. The other members of Chaldea are neither alive nor dead. They simply exist in stasis."

Relief washed over Ritsuka as he exhaled loudly. He had just become aware that he was holding his breath.

"Then... there's still a way to save them?"

"..."

She stared at him. Despite her blankness, it somehow felt like a cold gaze.

" _There are no ways to save them."_

Thus, his streak of hope had been severed. Ritsuka stared back, before clenching his fists slightly.

" _No..._ "

"Next, allow me to demonstrate the-"

"Director!"

She fell silent.

"... I am not the Director."

"I don't care. There must be a way to save them. If you can just stop time for Earth like that... then surely... you can rescue them?"

Little by little, Ritsuka's lid was beginning to slip off from the substance boiling within.

"It is outside of my jurisdiction. Furthermore, I have directives elsewhere that require-"

"I don't care!"

His voice raised. While the doll did not flinch, her hand lowered itself from the console as she continued observing Ritsuka.

"... If you don't know, then find out a way. Help me figure out a way. I won't give up on them so easily!"

"Even if it is impossible?"

"I've been told that many times in the past... how can we know if we don't try?"

"Because my calculations-"

"No, no calculations! If you won't help me, then I'll figure it out by myself."

For a second, he could've sworn that the corner of her lips curled, ever so slightly.

_Is she... looking down on me?_

"How will you do this?"

"... I don't know. I'll find a way."

"And you will not hear out why I have called you here in the first place?"

Usually, Ritsuka would be one to hear out the problems of others first... but the situation was too dire to shift focus. She was the only one who could help him rescue Chaldea.

By saving the others, only then would he be in a position to help others.

"I care about them more. I'm sorry, but I am powerless without them."

A silence fell upon the room. Not even the projection module made any sounds.

Somehow, the doll seemed crestfallen at this answer. The stare was boring itself into Ritsuka's body by now.

Before she finally spoke, facing the projector again.

"Understood. Shifting main directive to "Rescue Chaldea"."

The sense of calm flushed through Ritsuka's body as he sighed, feeling like he'd just won an important battle.

"... Thank you. I promise you, I will help you with your problems... once they are safe. Even I have to be selfish in times like this."

"Affirmative. This was not within expected parameters, yet... it is _natural_ for the Master of Chaldea to act like this, yes. I have learned this through observations."

Her hand danced through the projection as it shifted entirely from the display of Earth and the star maps.

As he watched the holograms change before his eyes, an important question cropped up in his mind.

"... What is your name?"

"My name?"

Her movements paused for a moment as if she was considering what sort of answer to give him. However, they resumed moving after only a few seconds.

"Vega."

"That's... your name?"

"It is what I am, according to your cultures."

The name rang a bell, but Ritsuka couldn't quite pinpoint the exact origins at this moment. In time, he figured it would make more sense to him. For now, it was somewhat comforting that her name was at least recognizable in some way.

The projections opened up to take up the whole center of the room. Several rifts opened up, five in total. They each had various icons pointing to different parts of them, in writing that Ritsuka could barely understand.

Another few seconds past and imagery suddenly appeared over the rifts. One was a painting-like image of a city with the Eiffel Tower in the background, another was of a vast desert with pyramids, the next being a photo of a modern city...

"... Singularities."

They were like Singularities, based on the symbolism. Paris, Egypt, somewhere foreign... another was just an ocean, and the last was a large Japanese shrine.

As he gazed in awe at the projections, Vega spoke out to break his fascinated trance.

"These are my simulations, using data acquired from observations of Chaldea and the Incineration of the Human Order. I have successfully replicated the systems necessary to emulate events of the past, present, and future."

She ran a finger down and pulled out a list of data entries... written in Japanese for Ritsuka's sake, for him to read:

* * *

**_The City-State Where Desires Begin and End, Le Grand Trianon Capitol_ **

_A governed metropolis of great power and greater affluence, where the poor know only work and the rich know only luxuries._

_-_

**_The Tempest of the Seventh Ray, Oceania_ **

_A continental ring of powers governed and terrorized by villainous minds and endless piracy._

_-_

**_The Steamwork Lynchpin That Pins the Reverse World, Cair Grauth_ **

_A grand, manufactured nation within a construct that rejects the Mysteries of the Reverse World._

_-_

**_The Eternally Bloodshed Theatre of War, Great Sahara_ **

_A vast desert laid bare with the wars of several other realities, a place where all matters and battles of life and death are decided._

_-_

**_The Prohibited Divine Realm, Izumo_ **

_[Data Unavailable]_

* * *

The very nature of them was not unlike the Singularities Ritsuka had prevailed over before, yet... these were far different as well. He had no idea what any of these worlds would bring.

"I have matched images to each simulation, based on their metagenetic structures and correlating entries in the databases of Earth. The key to the salvation of Chaldea resides in these simulations."

"... Are they like Singularities?"

Since Vega mentioned observations, he assumed that she would know what this term meant.

"... incorrect assessment. These are not moments of history in the Human Order that transpired in the past. Nor can they be considered deviations of those timeline sectors."

She enlarged the overall picture. Now that he looked closely, Ritsuka could see that the rifts representing each one were aligned in a certain way... notably, the one labeled as the Great Sahara was bigger than the rest. It was situated in the middle, with the three others surrounding it in a triangular formation. Izumo was the exception, suspending above the rest of them.

Vega's explanation continued:

"These simulations have deviated from allocated parameters and have become alternate worlds of their own kind. They exist simultaneously within the same spatial framework, though their chronometric systems still vary. They continuously influence and interact with each other."

In other words...

" _... They're fighting each other?"_

"Correct. I have assigned the designation "Malgenesis" to these simulations. Each one has a core that sustains the metagenetic framework of the entire sector. I have called these cores "Malgenetic Strands". By harnessing the power of a Strand, Chaldea can be saved."

Once again, Ritsuka afforded himself the feeling of hope. He didn't quite understand what these things meant, but what mattered was that Vega had pulled together an action plan for him.

Even if it was a lie, it was all he had to work with. The only question now was...

"How do I do this? Where do I start?"

Vega pointed towards one of the Malgeneses. The one labelled as Le Grand Trianon Capitol...

"Somatic Paradigm Transference will be most efficient in regards to resources and time to this particular sector."

"Soma... huh?"

"... You can regard it as "Rayshifting". I shall send you to this location, so that you may begin your mission."

Ritsuka raised his hands pensively, however. There was something missing, after all.

"But I'm just a Master. I... I will need help. Have you also... uh, created Chaldea's summoning systems?"

"... Yes, but the model is incomplete. A certain component was not able to be reproduced."

It must have been _that..._ that which only Mash possessed, the catalyst that brought Heroic Spirits of the Human Order together. Without that, it was a futile endeavor.

However-

"... But now I'm here. Maybe I can call them, if they can reach out. Somehow."

"A plausible theory. The Throne of Heroes cannot be accessed from here, however."

"Oh..."

Was it useless then? He had always figured that something like the Throne wasn't limited by something like distance... but for an extreme case such as this, maybe its the distance from any sort of humanity that forbade access to it.

"... That is why I replicated that data too."

"Wait... what?"

"I have successfully recorded and recreated the entirety of the Throne of Heroes database. The summoning of Heroic Spirits has not been tested. However, with the Master of Chaldea as an existing factor... it is _possible._ "

The map of the Malgeneses vanished. The holograms dissipated as the round table object transformed itself into a more familiar sight... holographic glyphs appeared across a black-glass floor that opened up in the middle of the structure. Another accurate replication, yet it was a very much welcome one.

"You must take position for you are the catalyst, Master of Chaldea."

"Yeah... Ritsuka Fujimaru."

"... Hm?"

"Please call me that! Or, Fujimaru at least."

Vega was silent as Ritsuka stepped into the middle of the summoning circle before she simply nodded.

"... Affirmative, Ritsuka."

The machine and its glyphs whirred to life, glowing brightly as magical energy poured forth from it. Ritsuka closed his eyes as the light enveloped him. He concentrated hard... not on a singular person that came to mind.

Rather, he visualized the concept of a "hero". Someone dependable that could support him in this desperate time... someone that would see it through with him till the end.

_A companion. A guardian. A friend-_

"Commencing Chaldean summoning sequence in 3..."

"2..."

"1..."

**WOOOOOOSH!**

...

...

Smoke kicked up in the room. This prompted ventilation points to open up on the surrounding walls.

Vega herself looked a bit surprised by this turn of events, the first proper shift in her expression so far.

As the occluding veil of smoke cleared out, Ritsuka was stood there while coughing.

There was another figure beside him...

"Did it... work?"

Another was coughing alongside him, as he slowly opened his eyes...

_There was a young man sat before him._

Long, mossy green hair that was unkempt. A burgundy outfit that looked both noble and well-traveled. Belts and trinkets and tools adorned his person, conveying a degree of multifaceted capabilities.

After rubbing them, the young man gazed up at Ritsuka with deep jade eyes that were brimming with curiosity... and confusion.

"I... uh. Huh! Hello there, Master... gimme a moment..."

He stood up, dusting his clothes off while humming an unfamiliar tune to himself.

"I'm so glad you called upon me!"

Ritsuka stared silently as the young man raised an eyebrow. They ended up awkwardly staring at each other for a moment before Ritsuka blinked and-

" **Who are you?!"**

The young man flinched a bit as he was shaken by this remark.

"Wha- isn't it obvious?!"

He huffed and crossed his arms.

"I'm Marco Polo, you fool!"

* * *

It was a chilly night.

The upper city of Le Grand Trianon loomed over its slums in a condescending fashion.

Screams filled the night air as the poor were culled for insubordination. Titan-like knights swept their halberds like farmers reaping crops, as blood dyed the misshapen streets.

Other knights with more machine-like apparatus in their armors arrived and washed the streets clean with blasts of water.

Despite having just witnessed his brother butchered in front of him and washed away into the drains like common filth, the working man simply lowered his cap and continued escorting the cart.

In this world where the poor only exist to work, those that defy the status quo were abandoned and killed off. By both the enforcers and their own kin.

A mantle fluttered through the wind as an anonymous observer witnessed these crimes taking place in the streets.

This place was a form of civilized Hell. It was not one that sinners are sent to for punishment, but one that sinners bear witness to so that they may reflect.

When they can compare what they perceived as their own Hell to what an actual realm of damnation looks like.

"... Beauteous and hideous, all the same."

The figure gazed up at the fractured moon from underneath their cap.

"So this is where you will end up, Ritsuka Fujimaru. Very well. This time, it is a special circumstance... I shall become your strength in due time. Until then, continue waiting-"

They bolted away from that hiding place, skimming across rooftops in nimble fashion under the guise of night.

"-I shall do my part from here. I pray for your hope and despair... fight through it all, find your truth. I shall be waiting! Kuhahahaha!!"

Thus, the figure disappeared into the darkness of the slums.

* * *


	3. Litmus

"Absolutely **not!** "

The one proclaiming himself as Marco Polo formed his arms into a cross.

"I do not belong on the frontlines of battle! I observe battles and report the outcomes!"

"Yet you have answered the Master of Chaldea's call. You will fight, Heroic Spirit."

"Do you think I even look credible for battle like this? Maybe I'd be a great supporting act, but... as is, there's no way!"

"The Master of Chaldea at least requires a shield-"

" _You just labeled me as a disposable, did you not?"_

Ritsuka did not think Vega capable of entering petty arguments, but here he was sitting of the sidelines of one that had broken out between the two.

After summoning Marco Polo it was revealed that this facility, the Cadens Weft, was not sufficiently outfitted for summoning rituals since the systems were incomplete.

This was to say that at this moment, Vega was only capable of this single summon and would need time and resources to repeat the process.

Hence there was a form of pressure on this young lad to do his job, yet...

"I don't even know my own class! I feel like I'm in the dark here because... it's like I know I'm supposed to know things, yet I do not. Are you sure _you_ haven't messed up somewhere? If this were the Khan's court, such a thing would be treacherous..."

"The summoning ritual was an experimental procedure, using the Master of Chaldea... Ritsuka, as a catalyst. However-"

Her fingers fiddled about with holograms in the air before her.

"You are not at fault for the missing data. I cannot verify the statistics of your Saint Graph. It seems that it has been corrupted in some way."

"... _Corrupted?_ What sort of misfortune is this..."

He let out the heaviest of sighs as he turned to look at Ritsuka.

"That matter aside... I must formally apologize for the inconvenience, Master. It seems a little bit of everything is at fault here, so I'm unsure how much I will be able to contribute. I know well enough that this circumstance... is far disjointed from the Human Order, am I correct?"

"It wouldn't say it's completely unrelated... but, it is quite a unique case. Also, you can call me Ritsuka Fujimaru."

"I see, I see... I suppose it is like we share a court. Umu. I shall regard you as Fujimaru, in that case, since we seem to be in the same boat! Hehahaha!"

His hearty laugh brought a type of vibrancy to those white halls. Ritsuka had a gut feeling from the laugh that he was a good guy, at least.

"... Process complete."

Vega closed the projections she was working with and looked towards the other two.

"After extensive analysis, I propose an alternate course of action. The decision shall be left to Ritsuka to decide."

"Hoho? Let's hear it, then. I hope it utilizes me in a meaningful way..."

Clearly, Marco hadn't developed the great first impression of the strange girl.

"All three of us shall be inserted into the Malgenesis."

" _Huh?"_

"W-wait... you too, Vega?"

It wasn't what Ritsuka expected at all as he figured that she was needed in an observatory position, just like Da Vinci and Doctor Roman would have done.

Marco still didn't seem keen but he wasn't exactly voicing complaints either.

Vega decided to continue-

"I shall equip this unit for combat with an artificial Saint Graph that will be adapted to suit the current combat circumstances. Furthermore, I shall be creating an uplink between my database and Marco Polo's Saint Graph."

"You... that doesn't exactly sound work-safe."

"With this uplink, I shall be downloading data for you to register. This data will be everything within my database regarding the Malgeneses. You will serve as our tactician."

"Hmm... I understand. Not my forte but if that's what I need to do, then I can do it! I can finally put the things I learned from Hundred Eyes to the test...!"

For some reason, he seemed excited now. Ritsuka was still unsure about the idea of Vega being made to fight instead... but at this point, what other option was there?

"Alright... yeah, let's do this. But I have a final question..."

"Yes, Ritsuka?"

"Are you going to be... alright?"

Vega tilted her head as if it were a strange question.

"Even if this unit were to sustain grievous damage, another one can be manufactured to replace it. However, the destruction of this unit will force us to retreat from combat with an emergency Rayshift. That failsafe has been programmed into this unit."

"I... see."

It wasn't an answer that he was satisfied with but it was likely the best he would receive right now.

"Furthermore, we will likely be able to acquire further aid when within the Malgenesis. Leylines exist in each Malgenesis and can be used as energy reservoirs. This unit is equipped with the necessary resources to reproduce summoning rituals within Malgeneses, as long as there is a power source connected."

More Heroic Spirits was certainly a good thing, but Ritsuka couldn't help but question if they'd also be awkward cases like Marco Polo here was.

Only time would tell. For now, the three of them entered an adjacent chamber where the Rayshifting was to take place.

Unlike Chaldea, this didn't involve specialized pods for the procedure. All they had to do was stand in the centre of a large pad...

"Preparing systems for transfer-"

"Psst, Master..."

Marco ushered Ritsuka in for a whisper. Despite it being obvious, Vega seemed all too focused on the Rayshift procedure to notice.

"Our greeting wasn't the greatest thing to occur, but I want you to know this... you can safely rely on me. I may not remember much about... a lot of things, actually. But I know that I, Marco Polo, carry a substantial legacy to my name. I will represent that legend to my fullest through serving you. I wish to assure you of that."

It was almost a strange thing for a Heroic Spirit to be declaring but, in a way, that made him a bit more relatable.

He may be missing important information, but he genuinely wanted to do his part for the sake of Ritsuka. That in itself was enough to reassure him that things would work out.

"... Yeah. I'm counting on you, Marco."

"Hehe! Whenever I hear those words, I feel like I can do anything!"

"Commencing Somatic Paradigm Transference in-"

"3"

"2"

"1-"

White engulfed all of Ritsuka's senses, as he was plunged into something like a dream.

Only to soon wake up into a nightmare.

* * *

The sky was fractured, like usual.

A bright sun sat high in the sky that overlooked the Grand Trianon Capitol.

Even then, the workers continued to slave away in the direct sunlight. Carts and supplies were constantly being peddled, its ultimate destination being the upper levels of the city-state.

The streets of the slums were only clean down the center. Knights with strange, glowing armor marched along these clean lines, patrolling and monitoring the workers who trudged along in the filthy sidewalks.

There were even child workers, born and raised to do nothing but labor. Most of them were able to adapt to this lifestyle...

"Guh..."

However, some would never be cut out for it. A young boy fell to his knees in the working procession, dropping his sack of wheat.

The man in front of him turned around with a gasp.

"No...!"

One arm clutching onto his own cargo, he quickly reached down...

To pick up the other sack and turn back around.

"W-wait, dad-"

"I'm sorry, son. We can't disrupt the line."

And just like that, the boy's father had moved on. The boy remained there, causing some of the other workers to thread around him as they proceeded with their own goods.

None of them cast him any looks.

An armored gauntlet shot forth and seized the boy, dragging him into the air and out of the way of the other workers.

"Another one has fallen."

"W-wait... I can still work, I just haven't eaten... dad! Daaad!"

His father was long gone. He couldn't even see him in the work lines anymore. His words fell on deaf ears as the knight shook him violently.

"Noise pollution, as well. Energy to cry but not to work? You are nothing but a waste of energy."

"Wait, no..."

"You are a hindrance to the nobles. Thus, you shall be sentenced to death."

Despite cries of resistance, the boy was carried away by the knight. It was almost like he was being paraded shamefully through those streets, even though no workers would dare to look at him.

The fact that no one would laugh, cheer or cry for him made the whole experience that much worse.

Eventually, they reached a plaza where multiple streets connected to each other. An airship, with a balloon and banners woven in noble colors, lifted off from a station inside the plaza. It was here where the workers dropped off goods for the nobles... and collected their waste for disposal.

Like ants, they moved in lines to deposit and collect. There was nary a look of radical intent nor hopefulness among them. Just a lull of sullen acceptance.

The boy was thrown into an ugly iron cage, along with two other men. One was emaciated, naught but skin and bones. The other one was clad completely in a mantle that hid all their features. The boy clutched to the bars of the cage, his scrappy brown hair hiding his tearful eyes.

"Please... let me work. I want to find my dad too..."

The knight that dropped him off addressed the warden with a salute. Unlike the knights who wore polished armor with glowing decals on them, the warden was clad in tarnished plates and a dark cloak... with an executioner's hood over their helmets.

"This will do for now. Take them to the Gaols for execution."

"Hmm... it's a paltry sum, but it'll do. The Kitchen will use them properly, down to the bones and waste."

Upon hearing about the Gaols, the boy's expression turned to one of quiet despair as he sobbed.

" _Boy... you're being too loud._ You want to die that badly?"

The cloaked man spoke out with a raspy voice that sounded like he hadn't been quenched with water for a long time. The boy could only look up, holding back his whimpering in compliance. This elicited a chuckle from the cloaked man.

"Heh. Crying means you have a will to live... don't forget that feeling, 'kay? I've a gut feeling something convenient will happen soon."

After saying this, the cage shifted. The warden had dragged it across the station by himself and had hitched it onto a grounded airship.

Holding onto the bars, the boy looked fearfully towards the airship and then to the skies... his hands closed in prayer.

No manner of god or divinity existed here. Yet, he felt the need to clasp his hands and pray to something... anything that could help him from this situation.

And at that moment, a light emerged from nothingness... right in the middle of the knight's station.

Three individuals appeared there... the boy was the first to gaze at them as he rubbed his eyes to see properly.

Those three were not workers... they were not knights, nor were they nobles.

They were, in fact-

* * *

"... The coordinates were inaccurate."

"Hey! What do you mean _inaccurate?_ Khans should not make mistakes."

"I am not a Khan. Also, according to my data, many Khans made many different mistakes during their times of rulership."

"L-lies! There's at least one who was perfect!"

Again, Vega and Marco were arguing. Ritsuka interjected as a voice of reason, as he glanced at the knights that had already surrounded them.

"Guys... I think we have bigger problems at hand here."

"Affirmative. It appears that we have been compromised."

A knight brandishing a halberd stepped forward.

"You. Invaders. Are you the Institution of Flyology?"

Those words were alien to Ritsuka, though it sounded like some kind of faction. Regardless, they certainly were not part of whatever it was. It was written on his face.

The inner ambassador of Marco compelled him to respond in kind.

"We are not, but we do come in peace. Might we discuss potential relations over some fine wine?"

"... They are not members of the Institution. This is not an invasion, yet their affiliations are still unknown. You will be taken to the Gaols regardless, for your anonymity is a threatening factor."

"Didn't this collapse a bit too quickly?!"

With the conversation ending there, the other knights drew their halberds.

"Well... what do we do now? Accept capture? Maybe they're generous to their captives?"

"Initiating escape option-"

Vega suddenly spread her arms out as a glowing enveloped her body. Seeing this as a threat, one of the knights lunged forth to stab towards her.

"Vega...!"

Ritsuka cried out. His response was a harsh clang of metal clashing with metal as the glowing dissipated.

With a blade drawn and plates lining her plug-suit, Vega parried the incoming blow as a visor appeared over her eyes.

"-sequence complete. Saber Class Augmentation activated. Proceeding to engage enemies."

More knights closed in to launch attacks, but Vega nimbly bolted about to deflect their blows. Even though the knights had a ring of halberds encroaching around Chaldea, they were unable to advance due to Vega's defenses.

Marco had thrown his arm around Ritsuka's shoulder and ducked him towards the ground, behind Vega. He glanced warily at any attacks that were incoming.

"Usually I'd have more of an escort for stuff like this... we're in a bit of a pickle unless Miss Vega here is some omnipotent fighter like the Khan himself."

"Negative. I am able to defend against incoming attacks but there are currently no valid options for escape nor counterattack."

She deflected another pair of blows that came in from either side, though the swiftness of her parries was becoming a little more desperate. Even if it didn't show on her expressionless face, it was clear that Vega's body wasn't used to this type of movement.

"Then... we must disengage. Miss Vega, figure something out that'll create a window of opportunity. Something not within your calculations!"

Marco's words seemed to resonate a bit with her, as she blocked another thrust.

"... Affirmative. Evaluating possibilities-"

As she said this, a fearsome blow knocked her back into Marco and Ritsuka a little bit. The knight attempted to follow through with a sharp thrust, locking up Vega's blade as she blocked against it.

"-possibility determined. I shall employ my pseudo-Noble Phantasm with current level of power stored. Please remain still, Ritsuka."

"W-wait, is this like... an all-out attack? Are we too close? With so many innocents nearby too? But there's nowhere to go... I'm trusting you, Miss Vega!"

Both Marco and Ritsuka planted themselves on the ground as energy started gathering within Vega, her sword glowing brightly.

"Initializing pseudo-Noble Phantasm, designation: Cadens Weft Blade Configuration, 53% charge. Commencing attack-"

With a radial cleave around herself, Vega's glowing sword erupted with power as the entire station was engulfed in a blast of energy. Both knights and workers were flung away from the force of the attack, as the center of the plaza was essentially cleared out.

Sacks and creates of supplies and trash were scattered as well. The grounded airship tipped over with its balloon ruptured, sending its hitched cage toppling over as well.

As the smoke cleared, Vega stood over the other two who had been thankfully spared from the blast. Marco shot up with a gasp.

"That's a big window! But we can run now! But... to where? Dang, I should've thought about that first!"

"Anywhere is better than here, surely!"

Ritsuka glanced around to see if there were anywhere to go like directions civilians would be running toward...

Yet they weren't running. The ones that had been flung were knocked out or dead, it was difficult to tell, but... the ones that still stood were simply frozen there in confusion, not fear. They seemed unsure of how to react here.

Worse still, the knights were starting to stand themselves up after being toppled over.

Just then Vega fell backward, prompting Marco to catch her.

"Power has been depleted in this unit. Motor operations have been suspended, auxiliary power has been directed to cognitive functions."

"This wasn't what I meant when I said disengage!"

What approached them, however, was not a knight... but a man in a concealing cloak. He carried with him a boy that seemed to be unconscious, as he started to address Vega.

" _Oi..._ the way you swung your blade. You're just copying someone else, aren'tcha? I'd be one to know... you weren't doing it properly though. It's like you'd only ever watched them before. That only works for some though, like me..."

That voice... ego delivered in a raspy, nasal tone. A man who knew his purpose in the world. It was a familiar voice for Ritsuka.

"Are you..."

"I dunno. Never met ya. But... you're in big trouble right now, and it seems a whole lot better than what I've gotta deal with. So... I'm gonna help you out in this pinch. That's reasonable, right? You lost your blade too, after all."

There wasn't much room for negotiation. They needed _all_ the aid they could acquire. Marco nodded to Ritsuka, before the latter nodded towards the hooded man.

"Will you fight with us, then?"

"Are you stupid? I can't kill without a blade. I'll never find a blade I can wield in this land, either. No. I'll help you run like a cowardly dog. That's what we're reduced to, after all. That's all we can do. So live with it like ya mean it and follow me."

With the boy in tow, the mysterious man suddenly bolted towards a nearby alley with surprising agility. With Vega in tow, Marco and Ritsuka sprinted after him as fast as they could.

The knights were already rallying, as a group of them charged in pursuit.

With Chaldea's entrance into the fray, the Grand Trianon Capitol had been shaken for the first time.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wonder when the first chapter will come around where I don't include a "3, 2, 1" sequence in it. Maybe I should put one into every chapter for the helluvit. Also wonder if I made mystery man too obvious or too vague. Regardless, he's a cool character that a lotta people like, so I hope to not butcher his personality with his involvement.


End file.
